Poles Apart
by brooklynbridge
Summary: Everything is different in the group's senior year at PCA. The one thing that it seems hasn't changed is Quinn's undying obsession with science. It won't be long until the ties that bind them are different, too. [Larger summary inside]


Title: Poles Apart  
Author: brooklynbridge (Brooke)  
Genre: General/Drama./Romance  
Summary: Everything is different in the group's senior year at PCA. Logan has matured. Dana is back. Zoey isn't letting on everything that happened during her summer. Lola's ambitions aren't seeming so bright. Michael has a secret. Nicole is starting to show that she doesn't like every cute boy, but rather one in particular. The only thing that seems to be constant in their lives is Quinn's obsession for science. It won't be too long until the ties that bind them together are different, too.

A/N: I'm not letting on what ships will be included. As far as I know, a couple are somewhat obvious but I'm thinking there are going to be lots of twists and turns as far as all that goes. So, you'll have to read to find out! And just so you know - I don't have this story planned I'm totally just writing as I go. Enjoy.

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Zoey Brooks stared out at the road ahead of her; lined with tall palm trees and the beautiful pacific coast where the waves crashed up on to the sandy beach. The breeze rolling in off the ocean blew her short blond hair about. She smiled, it having been far too long since she had been in the always beautiful and sunny California. It felt like she was finally home.

She had been vacationing in Italy the entire summer; partially studying art, partially flirting with cute Italian boys and gallivanting around the city of Rome with her family. She had had the time of her life experiencing the culture and the night life and the people. Come August, however, she all too soon realized that she was missing home more and more every day. Not to mention, she became more and more aware of how close she was to applying to university, which, in turn, caused her to become overwhelmed with stress nearing the end of the summer. It seemed that no matter what she did, thoughts of having to make one of biggest decisions in her life in no more than four months were constantly trickling through her mind. It was all she could think about.

She pulled up into the main front parking lot at Pacific Coast Academy which she had been attending for the past five years. Now, in her senior year at PCA, it seemed like she had to soak it all in, every last bit, as it just may be the very last time she could grab the chance.

She had absolutely no idea where she wanted to go after her last year at PCA. The lists of possibilities were endless – she just seemed to be interested in far too many things. All she knew was that she didn't want to leave her friends, no matter what it took to make sure it happened. The thought of being far away at some school with loads of people she didn't know scared her… as quickly as people would to argue that "Zoey Brooks doesn't get scared by anything!" But it's true. She was terrified.

Hoping that seeing all her friends again would soon push the thoughts of decision making and already having to leave PCA out of her mind, even as she was just arriving, she hopped out of the car, slamming the door shut behind her. She walked around to the back and pulled open the trunk to get out all her stuff. Just as she opened it up, none other than Chase Matthews pulled right up in the parking spot right next to her.

Her jauntily hopped out of his car and around to the back where Zoey was standing, having a slightly difficult time lugging all of her luggage out of the trunk.

"Hey! Need some help?"

"Oh, hey Chase! Sure… that would be awesome."

Chase leaned forward and started helping Zoey unload her far too many suitcases out of the back of her car.

"So, how was your summer?" asked Chase.

Zoey smiled. "Italy was phenomenal! I don't think I've ever been somewhere so beautiful…" she trailed off, thinking back to not even a week ago when she was traveling the city of Rome via moped and breathing in the sweet air that smelt of sweet spices, pizza and cigar smoke.

"Zoey?" Chase waved his hands in front of her face.

"Oh, sorry," she laughed to herself as she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "So how was your vacation?" she asked.

"Not too bad…" he replied as they both picked up a couple of suitcases each off the ground from where they had unloaded them and began walking towards the main entrance to the school. "Didn't really do much besides play soccer, work and go to the beach as often as possible."

"Sounds pretty fun," Zoey smiled.

"Yeah, well I'm sure it wasn't as exciting as traveling through Europe all summer, Miss Backpacker!"

Zoey laughed, Chase along with her, as they approached the doorway to the building and Chase put down a bag just to get a free hand to open the door for her.

"Yeah, it was pretty exciting, I will admit. The only thing that could've made it more exciting would've been to have all my friends there with me," she said as she walked through the door he so graciously held open for her. She flashed a smile in his direction, as if to say thank you, and Chase felt his stomach flip-flop as he smiled, then looked down to the ground.

"Well, that would've been nice… can't say I'd turn down an offer to travel around Italy!" he replied as they both made their way into the main lobby as they both dropped all the bags they were holding to the ground, letting out huge sighs of relief as they wiped their foreheads.

"Holy shit, how much stuff did you bring?" Chase laughed.

"Hey! A girl has to look good…" she furrowed her eyebrows as he smiled at her.

He looked down, and there was a pause of silence between the two as they stood there amongst all Zoey's luggage and everyone whirred past them.

He looked back up at her, "I've really missed you, Zo." His cheeks went a shade of red, just like they always did when he was around her.

She looked over at him, smiling. "I missed you, too."

Just as Chase was about to speak, he was cut off by the sound of…

"ZOEY!"

Someone ran up from behind her and gave her a huge hug as they squeezed around her stomach and she squirmed to turn around.

"_Dana_? Since when are you coming back to PCA?!" She gave her a hug as they rocked back and forth, huge smiles upon both of their faces.

When they finally let go, they both took a big look at each other. "It's so good to see you!" Zoey shrieked as she hugged her once more. "How have you been? Are you back for good?"

Dana laughed, "I've been good… the family has kinda been all over the place since I left but they've decided to stay here for the whole year so I can finish my senior year with all of my favourite people…" she smiled as she put one arm around Zoey and her other around Chase.

"Favourite people – such as myself?"

Dana turned around to see none other than Logan Reese standing behind her. However, much taller and much more defined than when she last saw him four years ago. His hair was the slightest bit shorter, his shoulders and his chest far more defined than they were years ago and he was taller… _way_ taller. She pushed her, what she thought to be ridiculous, thoughts out of her mind and remarked, "You mean to say you're still alive and breathing – no on has strangled you yet?" she walked closer to him and leaned to one side with her arms crossed in a stance with typical Dana attitude.

"Oh, how I've missed that pettiness of yours, Cruz. It's been far too long."

"More like it hasn't been long enough," she replied as she turned back to Zoey and Chase. "Come on guys; let's go find our room assignments." She grabbed the two of them firmly by the arms and pulled them down the hallway with her, heading the exact opposite way from Logan. He slowly followed behind them, as Chase turned around, still in Dana's tight hold, and mouthed "sorry" to him and Logan nodded as in to say it was okay.

To be honest, Logan wasn't the same as he once was. He didn't get as much satisfaction out of making other people's lives somewhat miserable. He had matured – just like everyone else at PCA. Dana didn't know this, however, and Zoey wondered how long he would keep this act going just to get a kick out of it like old times. It was likely that no one would say anything, at least to Dana, seeing as how they all knew that way back when Logan definitely had a crush on her. He had changed, though, and no one really knew if their whole love/hate relationship would be reignited.

Odds said they would.

Once in the main cafeteria where room assignment booths were set up, the four of them ran into Lola and Nicole, both sitting at a table drinking some Blix while they vigorously chatted each other's ears off.

Zoey walked up to their table and sat down next to Lola, "Hey guys."

"Hey Zoey!" they both replied in unison. They looked at each other, clearly irritated after just having a most likely intense conversation about whether a guy was cute or not. After four years, some things still never change. They quickly blew off their anger and turned to the rest of their friends, both smiling as if nothing had just happened.

"Have you guys checked out what rooms you're in yet?" Zoey questioned.

Both of them shook their heads to say no, then slowly got up grabbing their stuff as Lola said, "Let's go check it out."

The six of them walked in a group up to one of the booths and told them their names. It turned out that Zoey was in a room with Dana and Lola as Nicole Quinn and a girl, whose name they didn't recognize, named Bryce was also in their room. Chase and Logan were, of course, still in a room with Michael who they had yet to find, and also Quinn.

The group separated and went into their separate rooms where eventually Nicole met up with Quinn, who had already taken to showing Bryce her new chemistry set that she got over the summer that had something strange to do with DNA… no one could really understand what she was saying about it, though, since she was talking so ridiculously fast.

As Zoey, Lola and Dana settled into their room, they all _hmphed _as they plumped themselves down on each other their beds after a long afternoon of unpacking and decorating.

"I can't believe Logan is still so arrogant. What an ass."

Zoey and Lola looked over to each other and smirked as Dana failed to recognize, her attention held by re-thinking her already many arguments that she had had with Logan earlier that day.

"Yeah, well… that's Logan for ya," Lola said, nodding her head in an obvious _I-know-something-you-don't-know_ kind of way. Zoey laughed, and Dana still didn't clue in as she plumped herself back on to her head and stared at the ceiling.

It was obvious to both Lola and Zoey that there was something unspeakable between Logan and Dana. Everyone had always noticed it, just never mentioned anything about it to either of them. It clear when Dana left PCA years ago that Logan was something distraught. He wasn't himself for about a week before he snapped back and the insults started flying around more than usual.

Lola chimed up in the relieving silence out of their rather hectic day to say, "So, Zoey – what's going on with you and Chase?"

Zoey shot up. "What do you mean what's going on with me and Chase?"

Lola looked around. "I mean… what's going on with you guys?"

Dana finally snapped out of her daydream and looked over at Zoey. "Yeah, you guys have some weird unspeakable chemistry. I mean, even I can tell that he still likes you… I mean, he's liked you since like grade eight!"

"That's so not true, guys." Zoey shook her head as she pulled her lap top out of her bag. "Chase and I are honestly just friends…" she opened it up and distracted herself by starting an e-mail to her parents.

"Okay, Zo, whatever you say." Lola and Dana looked over at each other and smirked, somewhat identical to like Zoey and Lola had just moments before.

If anything was obvious, it was going to be an interesting last year at PCA…


End file.
